Everyone in the world knows that Hua Tuo has excellent medical skills, and once scraped Guan Yu's bones to cure poison. But who would have thought that this world-famous miracle doctor would lose his life because of a treatment? Speaking of which, this is still a case involving the supreme commander of the Cao Wei Group!
It is said that that year, Cao Cao had a splitting headache, and Hua Tuo was invited to come for diagnosis and treatment. Who knew that this diagnosis made Cao Cao furious, and he immediately threw Hua Tuo into prison. Why is that? Could it be that Hua Tuo really has the intention of rebellion? Or is Cao Cao suspicious, and the grass and trees are all soldiers?
What is even more puzzling is that Hua Tuo wrote a medical book in prison, but burned it before he was executed. What secrets are hidden in this medical book? Why would Hua Tuo rather destroy it than leave it to future generations? What are the untold stories?
Hua Tuo's bold diagnosis
In the twenty-first year of Jian'an, Cao Cao has passed the age of sixties, and he is in the heyday of the Spring and Autumn Period. But who would have expected that this powerful hero was tortured by a headache and couldn't sleep. This is not an ordinary headache, but a severe pain that keeps Cao Cao awake at night and restless at night.
Cao Cao had found many famous doctors, but the prescriptions prescribed by those so-called "miracle doctors" were either too mild or too violent, which not only did not alleviate the condition, but made Cao Cao more painful. Seeing Cao Cao's condition getting worse and worse, his henchmen and staff were in a hurry.
At this time, someone remembered a famous doctor - Hua Tuo. This Hua Tuo is not an ordinary doctor, and his medical skills can be said to be the best in the world. Legend has it that he once scraped Guan Yu's bones to cure poison, and he could also open the abdomen to cure diseases. Hearing that Hua Tuo was nearby, Cao Cao immediately sent someone to invite him.
After Hua Tuo arrived, he carefully checked Cao Cao's pulse. I saw that his brows were tightly knit and his expression was solemn. Seeing this, Cao Cao was also a little apprehensive. After a long while, Hua Tuo finally spoke: "Gong Cao, your illness is unusual, I'm afraid it will be difficult to cure with ordinary medicines." "
When Cao Cao heard this, he suddenly came to his senses, and hurriedly asked, "Doctor Hua, how should I heal it?" "
Hua Tuo took a deep breath and said an amazing plan: "In my opinion, Cao Gong's illness lies in the brain. To cure the disease, a craniotomy is required. "
As soon as this remark came out, the whole house was shocked. Craniotomy? This is an unheard-of treatment! Cao Cao's staff looked at each other, and some even began to wonder if Hua Tuo was talking nonsense.
But Hua Tuo looked calm and continued to explain: "Gong Cao, your headache is not a superficial disease, but an accumulation of blood stasis in the brain. If it is not removed as soon as possible, I am afraid that it will become more serious in the future. Craniotomy may sound scary, but it's actually not impossible. I used to scrape the bones of patients to treat poisons, and the principle of craniotomy is similar. Just make a small incision in your head to draw out the blood stasis, and your headache will heal naturally. "
After listening to Hua Tuo's explanation, Cao Cao fell into deep thought. He is such a smart person, he naturally understands that what Hua Tuo said is true. However, the risks of craniotomy are too great. If there's a mistake, it's deadly!
What worries Cao Cao even more is that if he really undergoes this operation, won't he be in a coma for a long time? And during this time, who will be in charge of the government? Who will command the three armies? You must know that although Cao Cao's sons are talented, they are far from being able to convince the public. If he loses consciousness, I'm afraid that the entire Cao Wei Group will be in a mess.
Just as Cao Cao hesitated, Hua Tuo added: "If Cao Gong is worried about the risks of surgery, I can test it on others first." When the technique is mature, you will be operated on. "
This really frightened Cao Cao. He couldn't help but think that Hua Tuo was going to experiment on living people! Isn't such a doctor too arrogant? Besides, what if Hua Tuo really has any bad intentions and takes the opportunity to harm me?
Thinking of this, Cao Cao could no longer hold back the anger in his heart, and shouted: "Come on, arrest this bold fanatic for me!" "
In this way, Hua Tuo was thrown into prison because of a bold diagnosis. , a world-famous miracle doctor, never thought that his kindness would let him end up like this.
Cao Cao's power considerations
After Hua Tuo was thrown into prison, Cao Cao did not immediately dispose of him. As a generation of heroes, Cao Cao is well versed in the way of power, and he clearly knows that every decision he makes is related to the fate of the entire Cao Wei group.
In that turbulent era, Cao Cao was able to stand out from the crowd and build a huge power, not only because of his military talents, but also because of his keen political sense and superb balance of power. At this time, in the face of Hua Tuo's proposal for craniotomy, Cao Cao had to carefully consider the pros and cons.
First of all, the risks of the operation itself made it difficult for Cao Cao to accept. Although Hua Tuo's medical skills were world-famous, craniotomy was unheard of at the time. Even today, with the development of modern medical technology, craniotomy is still a high-risk operation. Not to mention in the late Han Dynasty, when medical conditions were extremely limited? Cao Cao knew that once the operation failed, not only would his life be difficult to protect, but the entire Cao Wei Group would also fall into a huge crisis.
Secondly, even if the operation is successful, the long recovery period is unbearable for Cao Cao. According to Hua Tuo, it takes a long time to recuperate after surgery. This is undoubtedly a huge challenge for a ruler who is at the peak of his power. During this time, who will handle the government? Who will command the three armies? These problems made Cao Cao feel pressured.
More importantly, Cao Cao is well aware of his core position in the Cao Wei Group. He is the soul of the entire group and the key to cohesion of all parties. Once he is bedridden for a long time, it will inevitably lead to a power vacuum, which in turn will lead to a struggle for power and profit within the group.
Although Cao Cao's sons had their own talents, they were far inferior to their fathers in political struggle and military command. Although Cao Pi was brilliantly written, he was slightly deficient in military affairs; Although Cao Zhi is literate, he is often criticized for indulging in wine; Cao Zhang is more than brave, but not enough strategy. All of this made it difficult for Cao Cao to trust them with confidence.
Not only that, but Cao Cao also had to take into account the reactions of other important ministers. Although old ministers like Xun Yu and Cheng Yu were loyal to Cao Cao, could they maintain the stability of the group while Cao Cao was in a coma? Will fierce generals like Xiahoudun and Zhang Liao have different hearts because of the long-term absence of the coach? These are all questions that Cao Cao had to consider.
Moreover, Cao Cao also had to take into account the external environment. At that time, the trend of one-third of the world had been initially formed, and Sun Quan and Liu Bei were eyeing each other and could take the opportunity to attack at any time. If Cao Cao was bedridden for a long time due to surgery, it would undoubtedly give the enemy an opportunity. This is undoubtedly a huge risk for the Cao Wei group, which has just won the battle of Guandu and is preparing to expand further.
Therefore, after weighing the pros and cons, Cao Cao finally decided to reject Hua Tuo's treatment plan. In his opinion, instead of taking a huge risk to undergo surgery, it is better to endure the headache and continue to be in control. This decision, while not wise from a personal health point of view, is the safest option from a political and military point of view.
However, Cao Cao did not let Hua Tuo go. In his opinion, a doctor who dares to come up with such a bold treatment plan may well have hidden intentions. Maybe Hua Tuo was instructed by someone to take the opportunity to harm him; Perhaps Hua Tuo himself was an ambitious man who wanted to gain power in this way. Whatever the possibility, it was intolerable for the suspicious Cao Cao.
As a result, Cao Cao ordered Hua Tuo to continue to be imprisoned and closely monitored his every move. This decision not only reflects Cao Cao's suspicious character, but also reflects his extreme desire for power and protection. In Cao Cao's view, anything or anything that might threaten his dominance must be ruthlessly eradicated.
Hua Tuo wrote books in prison
After Hua Tuo was thrown into prison, Cao Cao did not immediately execute him. Perhaps out of awe of this famous doctor, or perhaps to squeeze more medical knowledge from him, Cao Cao temporarily left Hua Tuo's life behind. However, this does not mean that Hua Tuo's situation has improved. Instead, he was confined to a dark, damp cell, and had to live on a little bit of coarse food every day.
Even in such a harsh environment, Hua Tuo did not give up his medical pursuits. He was well aware of the danger he was in and could be executed at any moment. Therefore, he decided to record what he had learned throughout his life and leave it to future generations.
While in prison, Hua Tuo began to compile a medical book. This book encapsulates his years of medical experience and unique treatments. From common typhoid fever and cold, to complex medical diseases, to difficult surgical operations, Hua Tuo has recorded them one by one. In particular, his original "Ma Boiling Powder" formula, a miraculous drug that can make patients temporarily unconscious during surgery, has been recorded in detail by him.
Hua Tuo's medical book can be said to be the condensation of his life's work. In the book, he not only recorded the diagnosis and treatment methods of various diseases, but also summarized many health regimens. For example, he proposed the exercise method of "five bird plays", believing that imitating the movements of tigers, deer, bears, apes, and birds can strengthen the body and prolong life.
In addition, Hua Tuo also recorded many strange medical cases in the book. For example, he once cut open the abdomen of a patient, removed the abscess in the intestine and then sutured it, and the patient was cured. This surgery was unheard of at the time and was a medical miracle.
Hua Tuo worked day and night in prison, compiling this medical book without sleep or food. He knew that this could be his only legacy for posterity. Whenever the jailer brought food, he would take the time to inquire about the outside world, especially about Cao Cao.
However, as time went on, Hua Tuo became more and more uneasy. He heard that Cao Cao's headache symptoms not only did not improve, but became more serious. It made him worry that his situation might be even more dangerous.
Sure enough, it didn't take long for Hua Tuo to hear the shocking news: Cao Cao had ordered his execution. This news was like a bolt from the blue, making Hua Tuo realize that he might not be able to escape death.
At the end of his life, Hua Tuo was faced with a difficult choice: should he leave this medical book, which had embodyed his life's work, to future generations, or should he burn it to the ground?
After some deliberation, Hua Tuo finally made a surprising decision: he was going to burn the medical book.
This decision may seem incredible, but it actually reflects Hua Tuo's far-reaching considerations as a doctor. He knows that medicine is a double-edged sword. In the hands of good people, it can save lives; But in the hands of the wicked, it may become a tool to hurt nature and reason. Hua Tuo feared that if this book, which contained many advanced medical skills, fell into the hands of treacherous people, it could be misused and even cause casualties of innocent lives.
More importantly, Hua Tuo believes that true medical skills should not be passed down solely from books. He firmly believes that an excellent doctor needs not only solid theoretical knowledge, but also rich practical experience and keen observation ability. It is impossible to train a truly famous doctor by relying on a book alone.
So, the night before the jailer came to convey the order for the execution, Hua Tuo made a surprising move. He tore up page by page of his painstakingly compiled medical book, and then lit it with a candle in his cell. Watching those pages that had condensed his life's work turn to ashes in the flames, Hua Tuo's eyes did not have any remorse, only the persistence of medical Tao and the awe of life.
Early the next morning, when the jailer came to Hua Tuo's cell, he saw only ashes on the ground. The great book that could have changed the history of Chinese medicine disappeared into the long river of history. And Hua Tuo himself was escorted to the execution ground soon after, ending his legendary life.
The inheritance of Hua Tuo's disciples
Although Hua Tuo was in prison, his medical skills were not annihilated. As a generation of famous doctors, Hua Tuo received many disciples during his lifetime, many of whom were skilled in medicine. After these disciples were killed in Hua Tuo, they all embarked on the road of inheriting their teacher's medical skills.
The most famous of these is Wu Pu. Wu Pu was originally a small official under Cao Cao, and he studied medicine under Hua Tuo because of his admiration. After Hua Tuo was arrested and imprisoned, Wu Pu ventured to visit his teacher in prison many times, and learned a lot of medical skills that Hua Tuo had not been able to impart. After Hua Tuo was killed, Wu Pu was overwhelmed with grief and determined to carry forward his teacher's medical skills.
Wu Pu left Cao Wei and traveled all over the world, taking it as his mission to practice medicine and help the world. He has traveled all over the country, and his footprints have been all over Shandong, Henan, Jiangsu and other places. In the process of practicing medicine, Wu Pu constantly summed up his experience and gradually formed his own unique medical system. He is particularly good at treating incurable diseases and has performed many medical miracles.
Once, Wu Pu was passing by a small village and met a villager who was suffering from severe abdominal pain. The local doctors were helpless, believing it to be an incurable disease. After a careful diagnosis, Wu Pu found that the patient had a huge lump in his abdomen. He decided to use the open surgery method taught by Hua Tuo. After using a modified version of "Ma Boiling San" to put the patient unconscious, Wu Pu carefully cut open the patient's abdomen and successfully removed a tumor the size of an egg. The surgery was very successful and the patient recovered quickly. This medical case became a good story in the local area, and it also made Wu Pu famous.
Another important Hua Tuo disciple was Yu Fa. When Yu Fa was young, he studied medicine with Hua Tuo for three years, although he did not study for a long time, but he was deeply rooted in Hua Tuo's true heritage. After Hua Tuo was killed, Yu Fa was determined to carry forward his teacher's medical skills. He particularly focused on the study of Hua Tuo's "Five Fowl Opera", believing that it was not only a method of health preservation, but also an effective means of treating diseases.
Yu Fa practiced medicine in Henan, he not only treated diseases and saved people, but also vigorously promoted the "Five Poultry Opera". He believes that the root cause of many diseases lies in the blockage of qi and blood, and the "Five Birds Opera" can just dredge the meridians and regulate qi and blood. According to different diseases, Yu Fa has created a variety of variations of "five poultry plays". For example, for rheumatism, he created a bear-like movement that was effective in relieving joint pain; For patients with lung disease, he created a bird-like movement that strengthens lung function.
These innovations not only had a significant impact at that time, but also made important contributions to the development of TCM theories in later generations. Many of his theories and methods are still widely used in the field of Chinese medicine.
In addition to Wu Pu and Yu Fa, there is also a female disciple named Guo Yu who is also worth mentioning. In the social environment of male superiority and female inferiority at that time, it was not easy for Guo Yu to become Hua Tuo's disciple. She is not only skilled in medicine, but also good at pharmaceuticals. Before his death, Hua Tuo taught Guo Yu a variety of his original prescriptions, including the famous "Ma Boiling San".
After Hua Tuo was killed, Guo Yu lived in seclusion in the mountains and forests, concentrating on pharmacology. On the basis of Hua Tuo's "Ma Boiling Powder", she continued to improve the formula, and finally developed an anesthetic with better effect and fewer side effects. This new type of "Ma Boiling Powder" caused a sensation in the medical community at that time and was known as "Guo's miracle medicine".
Although Guo Yu lived in a simple house, her medical skills and prescriptions spread through other doctors. Many patients with incurable diseases have come from far and wide to seek her help. It is said that even Sun Quan's aide Lu Su once came to seek medical treatment.
Although these disciples of Hua Tuo have their own strengths, they all have one thing in common: that is, to inherit and carry forward Hua Tuo's medical thoughts. They not only preserved many of Hua Tuo's medical skills, but also continued to innovate on this basis, promoting the development of traditional Chinese medicine.
It is worth mentioning that these disciples also trained their own students, forming a vast network of medical inheritance. For example, Wu Pu's disciple Hua Tuo (the same name as Hua Tuo but not the same person) later became a famous military doctor and played an important role in many battles during the Three Kingdoms period. Yu Fa's disciple Li Di rose to fame during the Sui and Tang dynasties and was known as "Little Hua Tuo".
The efforts of these doctors enabled Hua Tuo's medical ideas and techniques to be inherited and developed, and eventually became an important part of traditional Chinese medicine. Although Hua Tuo's own medical books have been burned, his wisdom and spirit have been forever preserved in the long history of Chinese medicine through his disciples.
The Historical Influence of Huatuo Medicine
Although Hua Tuo's medical skills have not been preserved completely with his death, his influence has left a strong mark on the history of Chinese medicine. From the Three Kingdoms period to the present, Hua Tuo's medical ideas and techniques have been continuously inherited, developed and innovated by future generations.
During the Three Kingdoms period, Hua Tuo's influence was mainly reflected in the practice of medicine by his direct disciples. As mentioned above, Wu Pu, Yu Fa, and Guo Yu inherited and developed Hua Tuo's medical skills in their respective fields. Their achievements not only had a significant impact at the time, but also laid the foundation for the development of Chinese medicine in later generations.
Entering the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties period, Hua Tuo's reputation has been widely spread. Many medical works of this period mention Hua Tuo's deeds and medical skills. For example, in Ge Hong's "Hug Puzi", it is recorded that Hua Tuo used "Ma Boiling San" to perform surgery. These accounts allowed Hua Tuo's medical skills to be disseminated more widely.
During the Sui and Tang dynasties, the theoretical system of traditional Chinese medicine was gradually improved, and Hua Tuo's medical thought played an important role in this process. Especially in terms of surgery, Hua Tuo's influence is particularly significant. Sun Simiao, a famous physician of the Tang Dynasty, recorded in detail some surgical methods that were said to have originated from Hua Tuo in his book The Prescription of a Thousand Golds. These methods attracted great attention in the medical community at that time and promoted the development of surgery in China.
During the Song and Yuan dynasties, with the development of printing, the dissemination of medical works became more widespread. During this period, many medical books named after Hua Tuo appeared, such as "Hua Tuo Shen Fang", "Hua Tuo Qing Bao Jing" and so on. Although these books may not have been written by Hua Tuo himself, their appearance reflects Hua Tuo's high status in the medical community.
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Hua Tuo's influence was further expanded. During this period, Hua Tuo was revered as a "medical saint", and was listed as one of the three famous doctors in ancient China along with Zhang Zhongjing and Sun Simiao. Many medical scientists have been tracing and developing Hua Tuo's medical ideas in their research and practice. For example, when compiling the Compendium of Materia Medica, Li Shizhen, a famous physician in the Ming Dynasty, repeatedly quoted medical prescriptions purportedly derived from Hua Tuo.
It is worth mentioning that Hua Tuo's "Five Fowl Opera" has been widely disseminated and developed during this period. Many martial artists and health practitioners have conducted in-depth research on the "Five Bird Opera" and combined it with other health preservation exercises to form a variety of new health preservation systems. These systems are not only popular in China, but also spread to neighboring countries such as Japan and North Korea.
In modern times, with the introduction of Western medicine, traditional Chinese medicine is facing unprecedented challenges. However, Hua Tuo's medical ideas have shown strong vitality in this process. Many TCM scholars began to re-examine Hua Tuo's medical theories, trying to find a way to dialogue with modern medicine.
For example, at the beginning of the 20th century, Zhang Xichun, a famous Chinese medicine scholar, proposed the idea of combining it with Western anesthetics when he was studying Hua Tuo's "Ma Boiling San". This idea has later achieved good results in clinical practice, opening up a new way for the integration of traditional Chinese and Western medicine.
Another example is Hua Tuo's surgical technique. Although Hua Tuo's surgical methods appear to be relatively primitive in the face of modern medical technology, the medical ideas behind them have aroused the thinking of many modern medical scientists. In particular, Hua Tuo's concept of "seeking the root of the disease" emphasizes coincides with the concept of preventive medicine in modern medicine.
In addition, Hua Tuo's "Five Fowl Opera" has also radiated new vitality in modern society. Many studies have shown that "Five Bird Play" has obvious effects on improving cardiopulmonary function and enhancing immunity. Therefore, it has not only been preserved as a traditional health care method, but has also been introduced into the modern medical system and has become an effective means of rehabilitation treatment.
In the process of modernization of traditional Chinese medicine, Hua Tuo's medical ideas continue to play an important role. Many researchers have tried to find new ways to treat modern diseases from Hua Tuo's prescriptions. For example, some researchers have developed new drugs for the treatment of cancer based on some of Hua Tuo's prescriptions. Although the efficacy of these drugs needs to be further verified, this attempt to combine traditional medicine with modern technology has undoubtedly opened up a new path for the development of traditional Chinese medicine.